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Volume 126, No. 36
2 Sections, 14 Pages
Wednesday
Sept. 4, 1996
50 Cents
At the
Crossroads
this week
Lamb Classic at
Agricenter this week
The Agricenter will be
alive with the sound of
lambs this weekend during
the Farm Credit Association
Lamb Classic show. The
event will take place Sept. 6-
7.
Tacos on tap
Here are lunch menus for
Houston County public
schools for this week
Sept. 4 Taco or sliced
turkey with roll or bun, two
hot vegetables, two fruits,
gelatin with whipped top
ping.
Sept. 5 Submarine
sandwich or southern chick
en with roll, lettuce, tomato,
pickle, two hot vegetables,
two fruits, banana pudding.
Sept. 6 Pizza or man
ager’s choice, one hot veg
etable, one cold vegetable,
two fruits, baked dessert.
Sept. 9 Hamburger or
chicken fried steak with
gravy and roll, lettuce,
tomato, pickle, french fries,
one hot vegetable, two
fruits.
Sept. 10 Chicken
sandwich or fish sticks or
nuggets with roll, macaroni
and cheese, one hot veg
etable, lettuce, tomato, pick
le, two fruits.
Sept. ! 1 Corn dog or
spaghetti with Texas toast,
one hot vegetable, one cold
vegetable, two fruits and
cake.
Kitchen inspection: No
problems reported
No discrepancies were
discovered Aug. 26-30 dur
ing the inspections of eight
public kitchens by the
Houston County
Environmental Health
Department inspectors.
Scores included:
Bubba’s, 266 Ga. 26 East,
Elko, 100.
Centerville Headstart,
1009 Carl Vinson Parkway,
Centerville, 97.
Gunny’s, 85 S. Ga. 247,
Warner Robins, 91.
Happy Hour School, 200
Maple St., Warner Robins,
96.
Happy Hour Workshop,
802 Young Ave., Warner
Robins,96.
Owen’s Boarding House,
106 Young Ave., Warner
Robins, 90.
Speedy Pizza, 1247-C
Watson Blvd., Warner
Robins, 100.
Wendy’s Old Fashioned
Burgers, 1824 Watson
Blvd., Warner Robins, 94.
Exchange to host yard
sale Sept. 7
Members of the Perry
Exchange Club will host a
(See BRIEFS, Page SA)
About Us
The Houston Times-
Journal is published every
Wednesday. The deadline
for classified ads is 10 a.m.
on Monday. The deadline
for legal ads is noon
Monday. The deadline for
news releases is 5 p.m.
Monday. Write us at P.O.
Drawer M, Perry, 31069,
visit us at 807 Carroll St.,
Perry, or call us at (912)
987-1823.
Houston Times-Journal
Official Legal Organ for Houston County, the City of Perry and the State of Georgia
Nunn to speak at building dedication Sept. 8
Event marks restoration of Perry Consolidated School and opening of Nunn exhibit
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Times-Journal Staff
The Perry community will have a chance to
hear one of its favorite sons speak during a cer
emony held in his honor Sept. 8.
Sen. Sam Nunn is scheduled to be on hand
for a dedication ceremony for the Houston
County Board of Education Complex and the
Sam Nunn Exhibit at the board offices begin
ning at 2 p.m.
The Complex is housed in the building that
was at one time Perry High School. Nunn was
a graduate of that facility in 1956.
Bobbe Nelson, who has spearheaded the
effort to recognize Nunn and preserve a part of
Perry history by displaying articles of histori
Four persons questioned
in mysterious house fire
From Staff Reports
The Perry Police
Department is investigating
what appears to be a double
whammy of entering a resi
dence and arson after a mid
day blaze at 1327 Jackson
Lane, according to Chief
George Potter.
Firefighters with the
Perry Fire Department were
called to the scene at 12:15
p.m. Sept. 3 and found fire in
the rear half of a duplex at
that address.
The duplex was occupied
but no one was at home at
the time of the incident, said
Fire Chief Gary Hamlin.
At press time, three adults
and one juvenile were being
held in connection with the
DFCS has no directives on welfare changes
By RICK JOHNSTONE
For the Times-Journal
There has been much talk in recent
weeks about change in welfare as we
know it.
That catch phrase has been coming
out of the nation’s capitol as legislation
has been passed in Congress and signed
into law by President Clinton that places
more emphasis on work instead of wel
fare.
The case work supervisor at the
Houston County Department of Family
and Children’s Services, Darlene
Leverette, said there have not been any
directives at this point on any changes
that might be forthcoming.
“I have been reading about the
changes, but as of yet we have not
Potter: Bicycle patrols to begin in downtown Perry soon
Police Chief says stopping drug-related crime will have a top priority, drug dog to be purchased
By PAULINE LEWIS 1
Lifestyle Editor <
The bicycles are coming! The bicycles <
are coming!
A regular bike patrol
is in the making in
Perry. Police Chief
George Potter recently
predicted that when the
bikes arrive during
October, walking in the
city of Perry will be
safer.
That’s not the only
change coming to the
department.
During a speech to members of the Perry
Kiwanis Club Aug. 27, Potter spoke of a
new drug-sniffing dog, new reflective paint
decals for patrol cars and a changing philos
ophy of police work in the city.
Potter said officers who ride the bikes
will be in great physical condition after two
weeks of special training. They will be able
to move quickly to spot and apprehend any
mischief-makers in the downtown area.
They will also work at night in the high
crime areas.
A drug dog will be added to the depart-
“We also have evi
dence this may be
gang related.” Police
Chief George Potter
break-in and fire.
Potter said the scene was
apparently set up to give the
impression the break-in and
subsequent blaze was a hate
crime.
“We also have evidence
this may be gang related,”
added Potter.
He noted the quick
response of the fire depart
ment as one factor in sal
vaging much-needed evi
dence for authorities.
■ „JH
i
Potter
Serving Houston County for more than 125 years
cal significance at the Complex, outlined plans
for the dedication while she put the finishing
touches on the Exhibit Sept. 3.
“The former library was offered to him for
memorabilia of his early life in Perry, his fami
ly, college and career life,’’ said Nelson, pointing
out that the exhibit is funded by Nunn's office.
The library will have a multi-media center
installed to be used as a teaching tool for teach
ers, she added.
An orientation room is designed as a vintage
1925 classroom with many items that former
Perry High School students from that era
donated for use in the room.
In the front hallway is a display showing the
history of the Houston County School system.
received anything,” said Leverette. “We
have been trying to prepare the people
for changes.”
She said among steps they have taken
to prepare the welfare recipients for the
future is encouraging them to get addi
tional education, training and to assist in
finding jobs.
The DFACS official said the state of
Georgia may be a step ahead of much of
the nation since the current Work First
program emphasizes employment.
Leverette feels most people do want
to work, but “transportation, child care
and training are necessary.”
She said prospective employers
already have some incentives, such as tax
breaks to hire individuals currently on
the welfare rolls.
ment soon. The trainer is a former dog han
dler at Robins Air Force Base and also han
dled the dog at the recent Olympic games in
Atlanta.
The dog is trained to sniff out drugs and
to catch those fleeing from police. Having
this dog with its special talents, will be more
effective and less expensive than hiring
more men. Potter stated that it is a felony to
injure a drug dog. D.A.R.E. students will
have a contest to name the dog.
He recalled the circumstances of a recent
raid on drug dealers. The department is
making an impact on those who would sell
and support drugs in the area, and the news
paper staff is on the job.
Potter said, “Drugs are behind every
major crime."
As part of the change from a reactionary
department to an active one, police cars are
getting a new image. The new white cars
feature red and blue decals along the side
which are very reflective. A porch light will
reflect off the cars. Potter said.
Officers are assigned to a one-year per
manent beat, giving the community and the
police time to get to know each other.
Potter plans for the officers to do less
ticketing and make fewer traffic arrests as a
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“We are trying to start the work sup
plementation program,” she explained.
“That is where the (welfare) check is
redirected to the employer to help them
pay the expense of hiring a worker.”
Job developers could also be utilized
in the future to identify work opportuni
ties, according to Leverette.
“It is scary for some of them because
they don’t know exactly what the future
holds,” she said of the proposed changes.
As for any changes planned on the
work force, Leverette does not see a
down-sizing, rather “just a change in
focus.”
She said there is likely to be more of
an emphasis on job training when the
directives do come down on the changes
in the system.
Nelson said that a video entitled "If These
W'alls Could Speak” will be shown every 15
minutes during the Open House that will fol
low Nunn’s speech on dedication day.
Many former students of the school, as well
as others, want to use this day as a way to
honor the senator for his continued efforts for
world peace, she added.
Mary Mantiply, assistant superintendent for
instruction of the Houston County school sys
tem, said board members want people to “view
this as a community facility.”
The women said Alltel is sponsoring the open
house activities that will be held until 4 p.m.
The Complex is located at 1100 Main St. in
Perry.
result of the crime prevention program.
Perry is not a traffic case revenue-enhance
ment town. Officers serve only, as back-ups
to state patrol on 1-75, he said.
Potter said the drug dog will be taken
routinely through business and school park
ing lots. The Department will concentrate
on violent crimes and drug dealers.
After the first of the year, Potter hopes to
involve citizens in the Citizens’ Police
Department, where, on successive nights, cit
izens may learn more about the department.
Training will conclude with eight hours on
patrol with an officer. Potter also hopes to
have student involvement in this program.
After the city offices are moved to the
old Board of Education Building, the Police
Department will move to the front of the
present City Hall.
Mickey Barfield, captain of investiga
tion. has worked in Montezuma and lives in
Fort Valley. His wife is also an officer.
Other new officers are David Jennings,
Calvin Profit!, Jeff Rosner and Jack Johnson
Potter said it lakes quite some time to
bring new officers on board. Background
checks/lests, including medical, physical,
agility, and psychological, must be made on
each one.
SSSSjL - Jg
Lawsuit filed
Henderson family files
lawsuit against fire chief
county commissioners
By EMILY JOHNSTONE
Times-Journal Staff
A recently dismissed fire official from south
Houston County has filed a lawsuit in federal district
court against his former boss and the Houston County
Commissioners.
Jimmy Kersey, who was relieved of his duties as
deputy chief of the Henderson-Elko Fire Station July
12, seeks, among other things, a jury trial to deter
mine his fate.
Houston County Fire Chief Jimmy Williams
removed Kersey from the job for insubordination.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Macon
Aug. 30, alleges Kersey was fired “without having
the benefit of any hearing or notice thereof with
which to defend the frivolous charges made against
him.”
The lawsuit says the county commissioners did not
provide Kersey with “the benefit of any hearing or
notice thereof prior to their approving his firing.”
Another charge in the court action is that Kersey
has tenure because of the job he has performed.
“The plaintiff (Kersey) was fired without good
cause and for various arbitrary and capricious reasons
by the Houston County fire chief,” states the lawsuit.
“Furthermore it appears that as a consequence of a
fire that occurred in the Elko, Georgia area recently,
prior to the firing of the plaintiff, that there had been
a question raised as to the condition of the fire equip
ment and the plaintiff was consequently fired and
blamed for that event by the fire chief,” the lawsuit
adds.
The lawsuit, filed by Warner Robins attorney
George Williams, calls for Kersey to be given a trial
by jury, that he be awarded general damages in an
amount to be determined by the jury, that he be
awarded punitive damages, that he be awarded
expenses for the litigation, and any other relief that
may be deemed necessary.
Kersey served as a volunteer fireman for about 14
years. His dismissal brought protests from numerous
residents of the south end.
No one with less than two years of col
lege will be hired. They must have common
sense and communications skills.
Kroger is hiring off-duty officers, espe
cially at high crime times, such as the
Christmas holidays. An automated finger
print identification system is a computer
system used as an aid.
The Perry Police force is composed of 30
officers. The Department is nationally
accredited. Five new officers have been
hired plus three more to come on board
later, Potter told the Kiwanians.
Of the new ones, one has a master’s
degree, and three others have bachelors’
degrees. The detective captain has 19 years’
experience.
The Department will work with the
schools on an education program, and will
continue work with D.A.R.E.
Special neighborhood watches will begin
next in the Old Field neighborhood and in
the New Hope Community in September.
A white car with red and blue markings
will be added to D.A.R.E. program,
Potter stated that the City of Perry “sold
itself’ to him. It shows pride, is clean, coop
erative, and welcomed him and his f amily
with open arms.
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The Georgia National Fair is
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SAM NUNN
To Speak Sept. 8
